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(ModeL) 2 SheetsSheet l.

J. GHANTRELL. RATGHET BRAGE. No. 286,683. Patented Oct. 16, 1883HVVEIVTOI? WITNESSES W u, was Pholwulhcgwahnr. wmlan wm n c.

2 Sheets sheet 2.

(MOdeL) J. HANTR'BLL.

RATGHET BRAGE.

N0.'Z86,683. Patented Oct. 16, 1883.

.UNITED STATES I ATENT Enron,

I JOHN GHANTRELL, on nnincnronr, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HAZEL; TINE aGHANTRELL, on SAME PLACE.

" RATC HET BRACE.

I srnorrrcn'rrcn forming part of Letters Patent ,No. 286,683, datedOctober 16, ices.

- Application filed July3,1883. (Modem To call whom it noiy concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CHANTRELL, of Bridgeport, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain 5 new anduseful Improvements in Ratchet Braces; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, andexact description of the i 5 bilityand efficiency in-use; and with these ends in view my inventionvconsists in the parts I' and combination of parts, as will be morefully described, and pointed out in the claims. In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved ratchetbrace. Fig. 2 is a plan view on the linear m ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is asimilar view, showing the shippingcap removed. Fig. 4 is a view of thestock with the chuck, ratchet, and pawls removed. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the chuck. Fig. 6 is av'iew of the ratchet-wheel,and Fig. '7 isa detatched view 'of the pawls. 1 j A represents thebracestock, the end B of which is enlarged and provided with thecircular bearing 6, in which thenpper end of the chuck D is secured.This bearing is elongated to afford a firm support for the end of thechuck, and the latter is adapted to rest snugly therein for the purposeof preventing any lateral or wabbling motion. The inner end of the faceB of the stock, or that portion "thereof above the bearing 0 when thestock is held in a vertical position, is recessed for the reception ofthe ratchet-wheel and the pawls F, the former being rigidly keyed to theup-' per end of the chuck, while the latter arefulcrumed to the stud Hof the, bit-stock. The

upper end, a, of the chuck D is reduced in size to forma seat for theratchet-wheel E, and is provided. with the rigid keys 11, adapted toenter corresponding grooves, c, in the ratchetwheel E for the purpose ofpreventing the wheel from moving in dependently of the chuck. 5oThe'recess G of the stock Ais sufficiently deep for the ratchet-wheelsand pawls to rest therein flushwith the upper surface of the end B, andis preferably shaped to conform to the contour of the wheel and pawls.

H is a stud situated in the'recess and set into or formed integral withthe stock. This stud is suffieiently large to with stand the strainnecessarily exerted thereon, and is provided with afemale-screw-thrcaded opening for the reception of the screw I, whichsecures the shifting-cap J in place. The pawls F are shaped alike, andboth are provided on their adjacent or inner-ends with the semicircularrecesses, in whichthe stud H rests. These pawls are arranged on oppositesides of the stud, so as to engage, respectively, the opposite sides ofthe ratchet-wheel for the purpose of turning the chuck in oppositedirections, and also for locking the chuck against movementindependently of the stock. The stud H forms the axis for both pawls,and the latter are partly encircled by a single flat spring,

K, which actuatesboth-pawls. The pawls,

when placedin position on the stud H, form a semicircle, and the springK is curved in a 7 5 similar manner and situated in rear of and bearsagainst the convex faces thereof, and tends constantly to forcetlie'pawls against the ratchet-wheels. I

The pawls F are provided 011 their convex faces, preferably about midwaytheir lengths,

with the bent fingers L. These fingers pass outwardly through thenotches din the end B of the stock, and then bent upwardly for thepurpose of engaging the shifting-cap. The 8 5 chuckD is'passed upwardlythrough the bearing in the end B of the stock, and the ratchetwheel isthen secured thereon. These parts are secured together and to the stockoft-he brace by the headed screw M, which latter is 0 screwed into thefemale-screw-threaded opening e of the chuck D, and bears on theratchetwheel, and prevents the chuck from moving longitudinally. Theshifting-cap J is then placed in position over the wheel and pawls, 9 5and protects the parts from dust and dirt, and also serves as a meansfor shifting and locking the pawls in any desired adjustment. This cap,at its outer end and sides, conforms in shape to the contour of the endand sides ICO trally with the inwardly-projecting thumb-- piece g, bymeans of which the cap is shifted, and near its opposite sides with theslots h, in which the upper ends of the fingers L of the pawls F rest.\Vhen the parts are secured in position,the cap-piece J rests well downaround i the head of the screw M, and the latter forms the axis ofthesaid cap-piece, while the small screw holds it in position and limitsits movement. longitudinal center of the stock, the spring K holds bothpawls in contact with the ratchetwheel, and consequently locks thelatter to the chuck. Vhen, however,.the shipping-cap is turned on itsaxis to one side or the other, one of the pawls is disengaged from thewheel, which leaves the stock free to be turned in' one directionindependently of the chuck. When the thumb-piece g of the shifting-cap Jrests in the longitudinal center of the stock, both of the fingers L ofthev pawls F rest against the outer confines of the slots h in the cap Jand the slots (1 of the stock, and both pawls are in engagement with theratchet, and consequently prevent the chuck from moving independently ofthe stock, thereby forming an ordinary bitstock. When it is desired toconvert the brace into a ratchet brace, the cap is turned in the desireddirection, and one of the fingers L of the pawls F is moved from theouter side of the slot h to the inner side thereof. This movement of thefinger L draws its pawl away from the wheel, where it is held until theshift ing-cap is again turned. can be provided with a small dependinglug adapted to register with a series of grooves in the stock A, for thepurpose of holding it in position against accidental movement after theparts are adjusted.

.Any style of chuck can be employed in connection with the stock orchuck, or the ratchet arrangement can be applied to wrenches andscrew-drivers without materially altering its structure or arrangement.Ordinarily the ratchet arrangement of chucks is set into an open slotformed in the end of the stock and rigidlysecured therein by rivets.This method, besides being expensive and weakening the structure, alsorenders it impossible to get at the parts for the purpose of removal andrepair without first removing the rivets; but by my arrangement I amenabled to separate all the parts by the removal of the two screws,thereby enabling an unskilled person to take -lhe device apart and putit together in a few moments without the use of any tools other than ascrew-driver.

This device is exceedingly simple, is durable and effective in use, andcan be inaiuifiactured at a small initial cost.

formed on the head of the stock.

This shifting-cap I amaware that a ratchet brace has been constructed asfollows: The chuck has an enlarged head at its upper end, in which areformed two recesses. In each recess is pivoted an independent pawl,the-free end of which is thrown outwardly by a spiral spring, one end ofwhich engages with the pawl, while the other end is seated in a recessformed in the head of the chuck. The outer end of the pawl engageinternal teeth or projections The posi tion of the pawls is regulated bya cap, which is constructed with cam-slots to receive pins on the pawls;hence I would have it understood that I make no claim to theconstruction In my improved construction the chuck is provided atitsupper end with a flanged collar, to which is removably secured aratcheted wheel. The latter, being independent and removable, issusceptible of being produced in a more economical and in a morehighly-finished manner than if formed on the interior of and arrangementof parts above described. I When the thumb-piece grests in the the endor head of the stock. Again, in my improvement the pawls are providedwith curved faces, forming half-bearings, which engage the oppositesidesof a single circular stud, which insures a stronger and cheaperconstruction than to bore through and separately pivot each pawl to thechuck-head.

Further, in my improvement a single elliptic springs are required foreach pawl, and, by

reason of the limited space allowed for their expansion and contraction,are liable to become set or broken in use.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The combination, with abit or other stock having an elongated bearingand a recessed face above the bearing, of a chuck, a ratchetwheelsecured to the chuck, pawls situated within the recess and adapted toengage the ratchet, a spring for holding the pawlsin contact with thewheel, and a cap for shifting the pawls and forming a cover therefor;

2. The combinat1on,w1th a bit or equiva lent stock having an elongatedbearing and recessed face, and a stud situated alongside of the bearingwithin the recess, of a chuck, a ratchet wheel secured to the chuck,pawls the inner ends of which embrace the stud, while the outer ends areadapted to bear on the ratchet, and a shifting-plate for shifting thepawls, substantially as set forth.

,3. The combination, with a bit or equivalent stock, constructed asdescribed and providedlwith a stud, of a chuck, the upper end of whichis provided with a feather or feathers, a ratchet-wheel secured on thefeathered end of the chuck, pawls the inner ends of which embrace thestud, while their outer ends are adapted to engage the ratchet, a springfor holding the pawls in contact with the ratchet, and a shifting-platefor shifting the pawls.

IIO

4. The combination, with the stock, constructed as described andprovided with astud, of the chuck provided with a feather or feathers, aratchet-wheel secured to the feathered end of the chuck, pawls the innerends of which embrace the stud, bent fingers secured to the pawls, aspring for holding the pawls in contact with the ratchet, and ashifting-cap adapted to engage the bent arms of the pawls for thepurpose of shifting or adjusting them,

6. The combination, with the stock and stud secured thereto, of thechuck, ratchet-wheel, headed screw for securing the ratchet to -thechuck, and forming an axis or pivot for the shifting-cap, pawls providedwith bent arms, a spring for holding the free ends of the pawls incontact with the ratchet-wheel, the shitting-cap, and screw for holdingit in position, substantially as set forth. '7. The combination, with atool handle provided with an'eeessed bearing, a ratchetwheel situatedwithin said bearing, two pawls having the same pivotal bearing, a singlespring acting on both pawls, a plate for'throwing either or both pawlsout of engagement with the ratchet, of a bit or tool stock connectedwith the ratchet by feather-and-spline engagement, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesscs.

J OHN GHANTRELL. I Vitnesses:

Gno. F. DOWNING, S. G. NOTTINGHAM.

